Europe to suffer continent-wide port strike in support of Spanish dockworkers

MADRID: The International Dockworkers’ Council called for a Europe-wide, two-hour port stoppage from 10 a.m. to noon on June 29 to demonstrate support for Spain’s stevedores, The Loadstar reports.

Spain’s stevedores have been in a political battle against the country’s port employer association over their right to exclusive labor and pay since February. Last week, the workers organized a full two-day strike, bringing dozens of Spanish ports to a halt.

The IDC’s call for a Europe-wide work stoppage follows a decision by Spain’s port employers’ association (ANESCO, for its acronym in Spanish) to reject a new deal from the laborers. ANESCO claims the workers’ proposal had three clauses which would subject employers to fines of up to 10% of revenue for violating legal norms.